DECEMBER 2, 2002

Autosport Awards honour Ferrari

The annual Autosport Awards took place on Sunday evening in London with Ferrari as expected dominating the prizes. Michael Schumacher won the best international driver award but did not attend the event. Ferrari also picked up the car of the year award, which was not a big surprise given the domination the team enjoyed in Formula 1 this year. Ross Brawn was also honoured with the John Bolster Award for technical excellence.

Mark Webber won the award for best F1 rookie of the year while there was a rather odd award to Juan Pablo Montoya for his fastest ever pole position. The Gregor Grant Award, named after the magazine's founder, was traditionally for lifelong achievement in motorsport and one pole position (albeit a quick one) seems a little less than most winners of the award have achieved over the years. A second Gregor Grant Award was given to Tom Wheatcroft, the man who single-handedly rebuild Donington Park as an international racing venue.

The other awards were fairly predictable with British F3 Champion Robbie Kerr winning the best national driver award, David Coulthard picking up the best British driver award and a British Racing Drivers' Club Gold Star. Peugeot dominated the rallying awards although there werespecial BRDC prizes for British heroes Colin McRae and Richard Burns while Jamie Green won the McLaren Autopsort BRDC Young Driver Award which will give him a healthy budget to race next year and the chance to test a McLaren F1 car.